


Of Chargers & Exams

by wrotemywayout



Series: Modern College Newsies AU [1]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coffee Shops, First Meetings, M/M, Pre-Relationship, hopefully the start of a series!!, i write the characters as the musical characters but i suppose it could work for 92sies, not too happy with this so far but i have Plans, race and spot are only mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 02:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13284915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrotemywayout/pseuds/wrotemywayout
Summary: "There's only one plug in this entire coffee shop and you're sitting right next to it and you're not even using it, and my laptop is about to die in the middle of this online exam I'm taking, so whatever I don't care how intimidatingly attractive you are I'm sitting down at your table to plug my shit in"





	Of Chargers & Exams

David knew that it was rare to actually enjoy taking a test but that doesn't stop him from loving every second of tapping words into the answer box as pride fills his head. The hours of preparation and the copious amounts of embarrassingly sweet coffee had been put to good use as David felt confident in his work. If he was smiling softly to himself, who could blame him?

What David did not enjoy was the notification that his laptop had only 15 minutes of battery left. His eyes glanced to the time limit for the exam; One hour 23 minutes remaining. Searching frantically around the coffee shop his eyes landed on one single outlet. His new best friend. The new problem lies with the fact that it appears his "friend" has company, way too cute, scribbling in a sketchbook, wearing a beat up baseball cap smudged with what appears to be yellow paint, company. David was truly fucked.

David had seen him before. His study group met frequently at the campus coffee shop and sometimes the sessions overlapped with the visit of a group of guys (two of which David recognized, Tony and Sean from his oral communications class) whose hijinks seemed to be led by this outlet thief. He wasn't even using it and it didn't look like David would be interrupting anything wildly important, plus he really needed to plug his laptop in.

The 8% battery life and the time confinement outweighed the worry of being impolite and David grabbed his bag and laptop and made the journey across the shop to his new table.

"Hey, I'm taking an online exam and this is the only outlet. Hope I'm not bothering you too much," David explained as he sat down, taking his charger cord out of his bag.

“Yeah, okay. Not a problem. Good luck.”

David had fully expected him to move to a new table in an annoyed huff, at least that's what he would have done. But instead Cute Art Boy (David’s really going to have to figure out his name) simply flipped a page in his sketchbook and carried on with what he had been doing.

The rest of the exam went off without a hitch and all of David’s answers were submitted with 3 minutes to spare. With a satisfied smile David picked up his bag and began the process of packing his things. The pre-exam lack of sleep was catching up with him and there was a mostly comfortable bed in his dorm with his name on it. Just has he was reaching to unplug his charger another hand was on it, successfully stopping David from getting to it.

“Leaving so soon? You didn’t even tell me how the exam went. Kinda lousy manners if you ask me,” David’s heart nearly stopped as he looked into the bright green eyes staring back at him. A smug grin plastered itself across the boy’s face and David swore he saw it sparkle.

“And I’m very grateful you didn’t give me and dirty looks or kick me in the shins underneath the table from invading your space, but I don’t even know so I don’t think you’re entitled to a recap,” While David wanted nothing more than to comply and spill every detail of his life story to this boy he was determined not to come across as desperate and he needed some amount of self respect. The surprised look on the other’s face led David to believe that he didn’t get turned away often.

“Name’s Jack Kelly, and I know you’re Dave cause it says so on your coffee cup. So there you go, Davey, now we ain't strangers. What was your exam for?” The boy, Jack, motioned for David to sit back down and get comfortable and, while he’d never admit it, David was beyond excited about the chance of staying a while to talk with Jack.

“It was a unit exam in one of my political science courses.” David began, sipping his coffee.

“That your major?” asked Jack, leaning forward with genuine interest.

“Yes, I’m hoping to become a policy analyst someday. I take it you’re an artist?”

“Yeah, as long as it continues to pay the bills. I’m gonna grab a refill, you need anything?”asked Jack, holding his empty cup. David answered no and pulled out his phone as Jack walked away. He opened the text conversation with his roomate, Darcy. Glancing back at the counter David saw Jack chatting happily with the barista.

 **David:** Do we know a Jack Kelly?  
**Darcy:** yeah ive seen him around, y  
**David:** I think I might be on a date with him.  
**Darcy:** damnnnn he’s a solid 10. go back to ur date, see u tonite. or not ;)))

David pocketed his phone and attempted to stop his blush as Jack approached the table. “That better not be your boyfriend you’re texting there, Davey. I’m many things but I will not be a homewrecker.” Jack sipped his coffee, wincing slightly when it burned his tongue.

“I just met you. I don’t think that should be concerning you. But, no, that was my roommate. He’s a pain in the ass,” Davey confessed.

“Can’t be any worse than my friends, trust me. I swear one day they’re gonna be the death of me. Or maybe they're gonna piss me off so much I’ll be the death of them. I haven't made any plans yet.”

“Actually,” began Davey, “I know, or at least know of, two of your friends. I take oral communications with Tony and Sean. I've seen you all here together before. I hope that doesn’t sound like I've been stalking you.”

“Tony? You know Race? I don’t know if an apology is in order or not,” Jack looked concerned, hoping that Race hadn't done anything too awful to the boy across from him.

“No, not at all. He’s great with debates, only issue is he and Sean seem to break out into them without being assigned to do so. They’re both passionate. And loud.” David thought of all the times the class was stalled due to a passionate argument stemming from either party and turning into a louder than ideal impromptu debate.

“I’m sorry but I have literally zero idea who Sean is. Race and I go way back but I’m not sure I’ve ever met this debate partner of his before. You sure you seen us together?” Jack searched is mind for any time he’d hung out with a Sean but he simply couldn’t think of one. Apart for when Sean M. in his third grade class got Sharpie in his favorite shirt, but he doubted that’s what David was talking about.

“Positive. He and Tony, or Race I suppose, seem to be really close, too. I can’t believe you don’t know who I’m talking about. He’s short but looks like he could snap me in half. Thick Brooklyn accent. I know that you know him.”  
Jack’s face turned from confusion to pure joy and his smile grew wider than David thought possible. “Oh my god. Excuse me a sec.” Jack leaned back in his chair turning his head to look behind the counter. “Finch! You’ll never guess what I just learned.”

It wasn’t until now that David realized there was nobody else in the shop but the two of them and the barista, Finch, who appeared to be Jack’s friend. Finch dropped the towel he had been wiping the counter with and trotted over to their table.

“Try me.” he said to Jack before smiling quickly at David in acknowledgement.

“I have found out the one and only Spot Conoln’s real name.” David was confused to why this was such a big deal and why it seemed that everyone Jack knew had some sort of nickname.

“You’re kidding. I thought only Race and God himself knew Spot’s real name.” Finch looked just as shocked as Jack did. This was a group dynamic David just had to know more about.

Jack nodded. “Race, God, cute Davey from his oral communications class and now Jack Kelly. Maybe if you’re nice and get us some donuts I’ll let you in too.”

“Anything for information I’m not supposed to have.” Finch gave Jack a friendly clap on his shoulder before beginning to walk away. Before he truly left he turned around, looking to David. “Nice to meet you, cute Davey,” he smirked.

“Sorry, that was big news. I didn't mean to interrupt,” Jack apologized, once again giving his full attention to David.

“No, it’s fine. That was interesting to witness, to say the least,” David insisted. He had to admit that he was beginning to become completely enamoured with this boy and seeing his strange interactions with his friend just made him all the more interesting.

“Okay I come bearing donuts,” Finch made his way back to the table with a brown bag in hand. “Spill the details, Kelly.”

“Sean,” said Jack, reaching into the bag before handing it to David. “Sean Conlon.”

“Damn, I can’t wait to use that against him.” Finch grinned. “Hey, I hate to break up your date or whatever but, Jack, you’ve been here for like four hours and if you get back to your dorm too late and Crutchie can't wake you up in the morning it’s all gonna be my fault.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Jack glanced down quickly at his watch. “I probably should be on my way.”

“Me too,” added David, “Exams haven’t been kind to my sleep schedule.”

“I hear you,” said Finch, “I still have a shift to work, though. Take a nap on my behalf, will ya?”

“Gladly,” answered Davey, sliding his laptop into his bag. “It was nice meeting you both. He began to walk away when Jack stopped him.

“Davey, wait! I’ve got something for you.” Jack opened his sketchbook and grabbed his pencil from the table. He quickly scribbled something into the already full page and carefully ripped it out, folded it nicely, and handed it to David. “See you around.”

Davey accepted the paper with a shy smile, pocketing it before he walked out the door. Once he was a safe distance from the shop he pulled it out and unfolded the paper that had been burning a hole in his pocket.

David let out an audible gasp and he saw the incredibly impressive pencil sketch of himself hunched over his laptop, lips turned up slightly and brow furrowed in concentration. In the corner was Jack’s phone number and a note reading “call me sometime. maybe you have more of my friends’ secrets to spill - Jack”

Holding the paper to his chest, David knew. Jack was something special.

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is hopefully the beginning of a new series so if you have any criticisms or ideas for where this should go feel free to let me know!
> 
> (pls be nice tho bc i might cry)


End file.
